IEx  IGtbrtH 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


"When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever'tbing  comes  t'  bim  wbo  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


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in  2013 


i 


http://archive.org/details/rapidtransitfornOOdurs 


RAPID  TRANSIT  Hj? 


FOR 


NEW  YORK. 


f 


■4 


SECOND 

WITH  EIGHT  MAPS. 


CLASSICS 

TF 
.US 


UNDERGROUND  RAPID  TRANSIT. 


There  is  great  and  just  complaint  concerning  the  in 
adequate  means  of  transportation  through  our  city,  and 
numberless  schemes  have  been  proposed,  looking  to  some 
permanent  relief.  The  demand  is  for  some  means  of  transit 
which  shall  be  at  once  rapid,  safe  and  agreeable,  and  which 
will  at  the  same  time  neither  add  to  the  present  serious 
defacement  of  the  city,  nor  the  obstruction  of  its  streets. 
The  plan  should  be  equal  to  the  present  requirements,  and 
at  the  same  time  capable  of  meeting  those  of  the  future, 
and  within  such  limits  of  cost  as  will  insure  to  investors  a 
reasonable  return  upon  their  capital. 

It  is  apparent  that  some  method  must  soon  be  adopted  to 
relieve  the  streets  of  the  city,  not  only  from  part  of  the 
enormous  business  already  there,  but  from  the  yearly  in- 
crease sure  to  come  from  the  giant  strides  being  made  in 
the  city's  traffic.  New  York  is,  and  always  must  be,  the 
heart  in  the  circulation  of  the  business  system,  which  is  to 
come  from  the  development  of  this  continent.  To  what- 
ever proportions  the  great  cities  of  the  interior  may  grow 
(and  some  of  them  may  even  exceed  New  York  in  popula- 
tion) this  city  must  always  be  the  gate,  through  which  the 
major  portion  of  their  business,  as  well  as  that  of  the  entire 
country  districts  West  and  South,  must  pass. 

The  movement  of  passengers  over  the  street  cars  and 
elevated  roads  increased  in  five  years  (from  1884  to  1889) 
from  272,000,000  in  1884,  to  397,000,000  in  1889,  an  increase 
of  46  per  cent.    If  there  should  be  a  proportionate  increase 


2 


for  the  next  five  years,  the  movement  of  passengers  over 
these  lines,  if  confined  to  them,  and  they  could  furnish  the 
facilities,  would  equal  580,000,000!  That  this  increase  will 
come,  or  nearly  that,  no  one  can  doubt,  but  it  is  evident 
that  these  lines  cannot  furnish  the  facilities,  and  that  some- 
thing must  be  added  to  their  capacity  for  handling  the 
passengers,  or  some  other  methods  adopted.  That  the  city 
must  continue  to  grow  is  certain.  That  it  will  be  forced  to 
provide  means  of  transportation  for  its  citizens,  to  enable  it 
to  grow,  is  equally  certain.  That  it  cannot  do  this  on  the 
surface,  or  on  elevated  structures,  without  enormous  ex- 
pense, and  great  injury  to  property,  is  beyond  question. 
The  city  is  confined  by  the  water  front  of  the  North  and 
East  rivers.  It  cannot  spread  out,  east  or  west,  beyond 
those  boundaries.  It  cannot  extend  to  the  north,  without 
means  for  frequent  and  rapid  transit. 

The  elevated  railroad  system  has  been  of  great  benefit  to 
the  city  and  its  citizens.  The  city  could  not  have  done 
without  it.  It  has  caused  much  less  damage  to  property 
than  was  anticipated  when  its  construction  was  commenced, 
and  on  many  streets  property  has  been  enhanced  in  value 
as  a  result  of  its  operation.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  doubtful 
if  the  city  can  afford  to  devote  more  streets  to  such  struc- 
tures, and  to  build  an  elevated,  or  arcade  road,  or  roads, 
through  the  centre  of  the  blocks,  as  has  been  contemplated 
.by  some,  would  seriously  deface  the  city,  and  (even  if  a 
grant  to  build  such  a  road  could  be  had)  to  acquire  real 
estate  sufficient  for  such  a  structure,  and  to  pay  such  dam- 
ages  to  property  along  the  lines  as  would  be  likely  to  follow 
its  construction  and  operation,  would  cost  a  very  large 
amount  of  money,  and  it  is  a  serious  question  if  the  business, 
as  large  as  it  would  seem  to  promise,  could  be  made  to 
return  a  satisfactory  net  revenue  upon  the  cost. 


3 

Then,  again,  any  system  of  roads  that  does  not  contem- 
plate, eventually,  the  running  of  solid  trains  through  the  city, 
to  and  from  all  points  in  the  suburbs,  and  country  on  the 
north,  as  well  as  to  and  from  all  points  in  New  Jersey  and 
Long  Island,  would  not  be  complete.  A  large  part  of  our 
citizens  reside  now  in  these  localities,  and  a  larger  proportion 
will  reside  there  in  the  future,  if  provided  with  quick,  safe 
and  comfortable  transit  to  and  from  their  homes.  The 
growth  of  this  great  city  depends  largely  upon  this,  and  any 
system  that  does  not  provide  facilities  for  it  and  at  moderate 
cost,  and  that  cannot  be  made  sufficiently  elastic  to  cover 
the  constantly  increasing  demands  of  the  future,  will  not 
be  the  system  we  need. 

Again,  it  must  be  a  system  that  will  connect,  on  the 
surface  by  means  of  proper  approaches,  with  every  steam 
road  on  the  north  and  west,  as  well  as  those  on  Long  Island, 
so  that  the  great  inconvenience  and  delays  attendant  upon 
the  change  of  cars,  and  transfers  across  the  two  rivers  by 
ferry,  may  be  quite  done  away  with. 

Nature  seems  to  have  provided  for  this  great  need.  The 
city  is  underlaid  with  solid  rock,  the  finest  formation  known 
for  the  construction  of  underground  ways.  Modern  science 
has  provided  means  of  rapid  and  cheap  excavation  of  this 
material;  it  furnishes,  in  electricity,  the  motive  power,  the 
means  of  ventilation,  and  light  to  make  a  passage  through 
them  quick  and  pleasant.  Elevators,  or  lilts,  enable  passen- 
gers to  be  moved  to  and  from  underground  stations  quickly, 
safely,  and  comfortably,  and  it  would  seem  that,  in  this 
direction  only,  can  come  speedy  and  adequate  relief  from 
the  present  congested  condition  of  travel,  and  the  infinitely 
worse  condition  that  awaits  us  in  the  near  future. 

The  construction  of  a  road  in  solid  rock,  and  far  below  all 
building  foundations,  water,  gas,  steam  and  other  pipes, 


4 


interferes  in  no  way  with  them,  and  will  injure  no  street, 
and  no  property  under  or  on  a  street.  Its  construction  can 
damage  no  one.  As  many  lines  can  be  built,  from  time  to 
time,  as  the  growth  of  travel  demands,  and  in  this  way,  and 
only  in  this  way,  can  the  demands  for  added  passenger 
transportation  facilities  be  met. 

Then,  again,  the  transfer  of  freight  to  and  from  railroads 
has  become  already  very  burdensome  and  expensive,  adding 
vastly  to  the  incumbrance  and  dangers  of  all  our  thorough- 
fares, and  the  construction  of  underground  freight  lines 
with  elevators  will  be  demanded  at  an  early  day.  Under- 
ground tracks  should  be  provided,  so  that  freight  stations 
with  elevators  can  be  established  throughout  the  city. 
Then  with  proper  approaches  to  the  surface  on  the  New 
Jersey  side,  cars  can  be  loaded  and  unloaded  in  the  city,  to 
and  from  all  points  West  and  South,  and  move  to  and  from 
the  stations  to  these  points  without  breaking  bulk. 

Besides  the  great  relief  that  would  come  from  the  con- 
struction of  these  roads  to  the  local  and  suburban  passenger 
business  of  New  York  City,  they  would  furnish  through 
routes  for  passengers  moving  to  and  from  all  points  in  New 
York  City  to  points  West  and  South.  Trains  could  be 
made  up  at  different  points  on  the  north,  and,  tracks 
being  provided  for  that  business,  run  directly  through  the 
city,  and  do  away  with  the  necessity  of  crossing  ferries  as 
at  present.  And  connecting  these  underground  tracks 
with  surface  roads  on  the  north,  and  on  the  New  Jersey 
side  of  the  North  River,  solid  passenger  trains  to  and  from 
New  England  points  to  points  South  and  West  could  pass 
through  the  city  as  comfortably  and  as  rapidly  as  on  the 
surface.  Surveys  have  been  made,  borings  taken  of  the 
formation  under  the  rivers  as  well  as  under  the  city,  the 
most  careful  estimates  made  with  regard  to  cost  of  construe- 


5 


tion,  and  the  entire  feasibility  of  the  work  demonstrated. 
It  is  proposed  to  organize  a  company  for  the  construction 
of— 

Section  i.  A  submarine  double  track  tunnel  from  White- 
hall street  to  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn. 

The  object  of  the  construction  of  this  tunnel  is  to  meet, 
in  the  first  instance,  the  pressing  demand  for  increased 
transportation  facilities  between  the  two  cities,  as  illustrated 
by  the  following  returns  of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  for  the 
past  eight  years. 

Return  from  May  23,  1883  (the  date  of  its  opening  to  the 
public),  to  November  30,  1890: 

Passengers  carried 


over  Bridge.  Earnings; 

1883(6  mos.)                                   1,082,500  $54,H5  OO 

1884                                        8,528,840  426,486  OO 

1885                                          17,023,237  537-435  09 

1886                                         24,029,267  661,361  51 

1887   27,940,313  768,768  69 

1888                                        30,331,283  833,760  34 

1889                                         33-954.773  93W3  39 

1890                                        37,676,411  1,032,014  23 


180,566,624      $5,245,914  25 

The  Brooklyn  Bridge  connects  the  City  Hall  in  New 
York  with  the  City  Hall  in  Brooklyn,  and  with  the  elevated 
roads  on  the  east  side  of  the  City  of  New  York,  but  makes 
no  connection  with  the  roads  on  the  western  side  of  the 
city. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  immense  travel  now  dependent 
wholly  upon  ferry  service  for  transportation  between  New 
York  and  adjacent  cities,  the  following  figures,  partly  ap- 
proximated, covering  that  travel  during  1890,  are  appended. 


6 


East  River  : 

34th  St    9,218,160 

23d  St.,  Greenpoint   3,868,270 

23d  St.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D..  8,371,640 

10th  St   1,669,510 

Houston   4,440,590 

Grand  to  Grand   4,416,500 

Grand  to  Broadway   9,837,480 

Catharine    4,510,999 

James  Slip   1,660,750 

Roosevelt   8,577,500 

Fulton    10,837,885 

Wall    3,335,378 

South  __  6,904,355 

Hamilton    10,038,040 

39th  St.,  Brooklyn   976,452 

 88,663,509 

North  River: 

Staten  Island   _  5,445,800 

Jersey  Central   10,938,320 

Pennsylvania.    14,589,050 

Barclay    12,899,100 

Chambers..   10,868,240 

Jay     2,164,640 

Desbrosses    8,067,960 

Christopher  ._  11,739,130 

14th  St.   2,81 1,960 

23d  St   3.594,520 

42dSt...   1,744,680 

 84,863,400 


173,526,909 


7 


j 57228 


The  proposed  tunnel  will  connect  with  the  elevated 
railroads,  both  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  city,  and 
enable  Brooklyn  passengers,  for  the  one  fare,  to  reach  any 
part  of  New  York  from  the  Battery,  and  save  all  west  side 
passengers  fully  fifteen  minutes  in  time,  morning  and  even- 
ing, over  present  routes  between  their  homes  and  business. 

The  same  advantages  will  also  be  secured  for  the  citizens 
of  Jersey  City,  Newark,  and  neighboring  places  having 
business  in  New  York,  when  the  second  section  of  the  line 
is  completed. 

Single  fares  over  the  Bridge  are  three  cents,  ten  tickets 
being  sold  for  twenty-five  cents.  It  is  proposed  to  make  the 
same  fares  by  the  tunnel,  and  the  average  minimum  esti- 
mate of  passengers  to  be  carried  daily  for  the  first  year  is 
25,000  persons  each  way,  with  a  large  increase  from  year  to 
year.  The  capacity  of  the  tunnel  will  be  equal  to  288,000 
passengers  per  working  day. 

The  foot  of  Atlantic  avenue  is  a  very  prominent  point  in 
the  City  of  Brooklyn,  and  a  tunnel  enabling  people  to  move 
quickly  between  there  and  the  southern  termini  of  the  ele- 
vated railroads  in  New  York  is  certain  to  secure  a  very 
large  traffic  between  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 
When  the  whole  enterprise  is  completed  it  will  furnish  the 
needed  facilities  for  convenient  as  well  as  rapid  movement 
of  passengers,  not  only  between  Brooklyn  and  towns  in 
New  Jersey  and  New  York  City,  but  between  all  points  in 
New  York  City  and  outlying  districts  on  the  north ;  more- 
over, it  is  certain  that  at  an  early  date  an  elevated  railroad 
will  be  constructed  from  a  connection  with  the  Long  Island 
Railroad  through  Atlantic  avenue  to  the  river,  and  pas- 
sengers to  and  from  New  York  and  Long  Island  and  its 
summer  resorts  will,  by  using  the  tunnel  and  this  route, 
save  at  least  thirty  minutes  in  time  over  existing  routes. 


8 


After  the  construction  of  the  first  section  and  its  opening 
for  business,  it  is  contemplated  to  construct: 

Section  2.  A  continuation  of  this  first  section  across  and 
beneath  Battery  Park  to  a  station  in  Jersey  City. 

Section  3.  A  double  track  tunnel,  from  the  foot  of 
Whitehall  street,  under  Broadway,  to  the  Post  Office,  with 
intermediate  stations  at  or  near  Wall  street  and  Bowling: 
Green. 

Section  4.  A  continuation  of  this  line  from  the  Post 
Office,  under  Broadway,  to  Union  Square,  where  it  diverges 
to  the  left,  continuing  under  Broadway  to  and  under  the 
Boulevard  to  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  street.  Also 
branching  east  from  Union  Square  northeasterly  to  the  line 
of  Third  avenue  at  Eighteenth  street,  and  continuing  north 
under  Third  avenue  to  Harlem  Bridge;  thence  northwest- 
erly in  close  proximity  to  the  line  of  the  Harlem  River, 
until  it  reaches  the  line  of  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth 
street,  so  forming  a  complete  circuit. 

Section  5.  A  loop  extending  from  the  terminal  station  at 
the  foot  of  Whitehall  street  northeasterly  under  Front  and 
Water  streets  to  the  line  of  Essex  street,  continuing  north- 
erly beneath  Essex  street  and  Avenue  A  to  Tenth  street ; 
thence  northwest  to  a  connection  with  the  Third  avenue 
line  at  Twenty-third  street.  Commencing  again  at  White- 
hall street  station  northwesterly  under  West  street,  on  a 
line  with  the  piers  and  general  warehouses  to  Twelfth 
street,  and  thence  northerly  beneath  Tenth  avenue  to  a 
junction  with  the  Broadway  line  at  Seventy-second  street. 


9 


Section  6.  A  line  to  meet  the  wants  developed  by  the 
growth  of  the  city  north  in  the  annexed  districts.  This 
will  be  a  continuation  of  the  Boulevard  line,  north  from 
One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  street  below  the  Boulevard 
and  Eleventh  avenue  to  Kingsbridge,  and  north  from 
Harlem  Bridge  through  Third  avenue,  having  connection 
with  the  west  line  at  Kingsbridge,  forming  a  circuit 
around  the  present  Jerome  Park. 

The  level  of  the  first  section  has  been  fixed  and  the  rails 
will  stand  no  feet  below  the  curb  on  Broadway.  By 
adopting  this  level  the  tunnel  will  pass  through  rock  its 
entire  length.  It  will  thus  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  with 
such  a  natural  foundation  and  overhead  strength,  perfect 
security  is  obtained  in  the  tunnels  themselves,  while  there 
cannot  be  the  slightest  disturbance  on  the  surface  to  the 
foundation  of  buildings,  or  any  water,  gas  or  other  pipes. 

The  tunnel  in  Section  I,  commencing  at  Whitehall  street 
and  terminating  at  the  foot  of  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn, 
including  the  stations,  is  to  be  constructed  6,050  feet  in 
length — but  only  5,000  between  stations — 26  feet  wide,  and 
20  feet  high  from  the  top  of  rail  to  the  crown  of  the  arch. 
The  whole  of  the  tunnel  and  the  stations  are  to  be  cut  out 
of  solid  rock  and  cased  with  brick  linings,  set  in  cement.  A 
double  track  to  be  laid  in  the  tunnel,  extending  far  enough 
beyond  the  stations  to  give  siding  accommodation,  and 
a  continuous  and  uninterrupted  circuit  of  travel  from 
station  to  station.  The  cross  section  of  the  tunnel 
will  be  large  enough  to  admit  the  largest  sized  car. 
The  underground  stations  are  to  be  both  alike  —  330 
feet  long,  60  feet  wide,  and  30  feet  high  from  the 
rail  level  to  the  crown  of  the  arch.  They  are  connected 
with  the  stations  on  the  street  level  immediately  above 


10 


them,  by  shafts  80  feet  long  and  17  feet  wide,  containing 
six  elevators  and  a  staircase.  The  crown  of  the  arch  on 
the  New  York  side  is  go  feet  below  the  street  level  at 
Whitehall  street,  and  that  in  Brooklyn  118  feet  below  the 
street  level.  The  platforms  extend  along  the  centre  of  the 
underground  stations,  with  single  track  on  either  side,  and 
these  converge  again  together  beyond  the  platforms.  Down 
the  centre  of  the  platforms  are  the  large  elevator  shafts, 
which  have  distinct  arrival  and  departure  sides,  so  that  no 
confusion  can  arise  between  passengers  arriving  and  leav- 
ing the  stations.  In  the  centre  of  each  station  platform  the 
elevator  shafts  are  divided  into  seven  compartments — six 
for  elevator  cars  (the  seventh  for  a  staircase)  capable  of 
conveying  at  each  station  340  passengers  per  minute. 
They  have  double  sliding  doors,  one  opening  on  the  depart- 
ure and  the  other  on  the  arrival  platform.  Three  of  the 
elevators  in  the  New  York  station  ascend  to  the  level  of  the 
elevated  railroad  stations  and  the  others  to  the  street  level. 
The  construction  and  mechanical  arrangements  are  espe- 
cially designed  to  provide  absolute  safety  and  comfort,  and 
when  it  is  considered  that  this  mode  of  transit  is  adopted 
in  almost  every  modern  building  of  any  consequence  in 
this  as  well  as  other  large  cities,  and  that  the  height  of 
many  of  these  buildings  exceeds  the  distance  that  these  cars 
have  to  travel,  there  can  be  no  question  that  this  mode  of 
conveying  passengers  between  the  lower  and  upper  stations 
will  prove  most  comfortable,  expeditious  and  popular. 
The  surface  station  in  New  York  at  the  foot  of  Whitehall 
street  consists  chiefly  of  a  large  hall,  having  an  entrance 
to  the  arrival  platform,  and  a  separate  exit  for  departure. 
There  will  be  the  usual  ticket  offices  and  waiting-rooms 
and  a  colonnade  on  the  first  floor  above  the  street  which 


11 


will  connect  the  station  with  the  elevated  railroad  plat- 
forms. The  general  arrangement  of  the  station  at  Brook- 
lyn is  the  same  as  that  of  the  New  York  station,  except 
that  the  buildings  are  more  extensive,  to  allow  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  pumps,  boilers  and  electrical  power 
and  lighting  plant,  which  will  be  located  there. 

The  question  of  ventilation  and  light  in  tunnel  work  is 
one  of  the  highest  importance,  and  both  are  fully  provided 
for  in  the  construction  of  these  tunnels  in  accordance  with 
the  latest  scientific  methods.  The  lighting  of  the  stations 
throughout  the  tunnel  and  in  the  cars  will  be  by  means  of 
electrical  lamps  in  the  passenger  coaches,  elevator  cars  and 
shafts  and  throughout  the  tunnels.  The  ventilation  is  pro- 
vided for  by  wrought  iron  circular  shafts  suspended  from 
the  crown  of  the  arch  running  into  and  toward  the  centre 
of  the  tunnel  from  each  station.  The  distance  at  the  centre 
of  the  tunnel  between  the  openings  of  these  shafts  will  be 
fifty  feet.  At  each  station  a  large  centrifugal  fan  will  be 
provided.  The  air  will  be  drawn  through  these  shafts 
from  the  centre  of  the  tunnel  to  each  end  and  discharged 
at  the  surface,  the  vacuum  thus  created  being  filled  by  a 
current  of  fresh  air  passing  down  the  large  main  shafts. 

The  time  required  for  the  journey  from  Whitehall  street 
to  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn,  will  be  but  four  minutes,  in- 
cluding the  time  required  for  entering  the  elevators,  de- 
scending to  the  low  level  station,  and  ascending  to  the 
street  level  on  the  other  side.  The  train  and  elevator  cars 
will  have  a  capacity  of  12,000  passengers  per  hour. 

With  reference  to  the  further  extension  of  this  system 
through  the  city,  it  is  proposed  eventually  to  lay  a  four-track 
road  on  the  principal  lines  of  travel,  two  for  high  speed 
and  two  for  way  trains.    The  road  running  parallel  with 


12 


the  piers  is  intended  chiefly  for  the  transportation  and  de- 
livery of  freight.  The  tunneling-  of  to-day  with  the  very 
great  improvements  in  mechanical  means  of  rock  excava- 
tion, modes  of  lighting  and  ventilation,  make  the  business 
simplicity  itself  as  compared  with  what  it  was  a  few  years 
ago,  and  the  cost  of  such  work  has  been  vastly  decreased. 

New  York,  January,  1891. 


13 


Chas.  M.  Jacors,  C.  E. 

88  Bisiiopsgate  Street  Within, 

London,  3d  December,  1890. 

Austin  Corp.in,  Esq., 

192  Broadway,  New  York. 

Sir  : 

I  beg  to  report  the  result  of  my  investigation  of  the 
various  borings  taken  in  the  City  of  New  York  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  at  what  point  rock  is  found  below  the 
street  level  on  the  proposed  route  of  the  underground  rail- 
way, commencing  at  Whitehall  street  and  terminating  at 
One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  street. 

At  the  south  end  of  Whitehall  street,  rock  is  found  forty- 
three  feet  below  the  street  level ;  at  the  Equitable  Insurance 
Company's  building,  sixty  feet;  at  the  Mutual  Insurance 
building,  fifty-six  feet;  and  at  Cortlandt  street,  sixty-five  feet. 
This  level  appears  to  remain  at  the  average  depth  until 
Twelfth  street,  where  the  rock  rises  towards  the  surface  up 
to  Fourteenth  street,  and  from  this  point  to  One  Hundred 
and  Fifty-fifth  street  it  frequently  outcrops  at  the  surface, 
but  the  average  depth  may  be  taken  as  twenty-three  feet 
below  the  street  curbstone. 

At  Twenty-third  street,  in  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  a 
boring  has  been  put  down  2,110  feet,  the  entire  distance 
through  rock  from  eighteen  feet  below  the  street  level. 

The  character  of  the  rock  is  quite  favorable  for  tunneling 
operations  and  its  geological  condition  is  partially  decom- 
posed granite  and  gneiss. 

I  am,  sir, 

Yours  respectfully, 
(Signed)       CHARLES  M.  JACOBS. 


Panama  Railroad  Office, 

New  York,  November  8,  1890. 

Austin  Corbin,  Esq. 

My  Dear  Sir  : 
I  have  examined  the  plans  and  sections  prepared  by  your 
engineer,  Mr.  Charles  M.  Jacobs,  for  the  construction  of  a 
tunnel  under  the  East  River,  with  connections  at  Battery 
Point,  New  York,  and  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn,  and  in 
my  opinion  there  are  no  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  con- 
struction of  such  a  tunnel  as  proposed  ;  and  the  plans  for 
its  construction  and  operation  are  thoroughly  practical. 
Yours  truly, 

(Signed)       JOHN  NEWTON. 


15 


Pier  "A,"  Battery  Place, 
New  York,  6th  November,  1890. 

Austin  Corbin,  Esq., 
Sir  : 

In  accordance  with  your  request,  I  have  examined  the 
plan  of  Mr.  Charles  M.  Jacobs,  C.  E.,  for  the  Metropolitan 
Underground  Railway  under  the  East  River,  between  New 
York  and  Brooklyn. 

The  plan,  in  brief,  consists  of  a  double  track  railway 
tunnel,  built  in  solid  rock,  at  a  distance  of  about  1 10  feet  be- 
low the  street  level,  in  each  city,  with  stations  at  each  end, 
where  passengers  are  to  be  carried  between  the  street  level 
and  the  railway  by  elevators.  Drainage,  ventilation  and 
lighting  are  all  provided  for.  The  motive  power  is  to  be 
electricity,  and  arrangements  are  proposed  for  carrying 
12,000  passengers  per  hour. 

In  my  opinion,  the  project  is  quite  feasible  and  practi- 
cable, and  presents  no  great  difficulties  to  be  overcome; 
when  completed  and  in  operation,  the  road  will  form  a 
greatly  needed  additional  means  of  transit  between  the  two 
cities,  which  will  be  largely  used  at  once. 

Very  Respectfully, 

Your  Obedient  Servant, 

G.  S.  GREENE,  Jr., 
C.  E. 

{Enginccr-in-Chief  Department  of  Docks.) 


[U7148] 


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